The present invention relates to an apparatus provided for a photographic camera with lens and film carriers which can be reset in relation to one another for the computational ascertainment of data concerning the settings of the lens and film carriers in regard to a facilitated attainment of optimal camera settings related to a motif scene to be photographed.
As known, the image perspective and the sharpness/non-sharpness process of the image can be influenced by resetting the lens and film carriers in relation to one another and in relation to the motif scene to be photographed, whereby the perspective and the sharpness or non-sharpness of the image can be both corrected and purposefully accentuated, within optically determined limits. Thus the photographer has image-creative means at his disposal which are not, or only to a limited degree, provided by a so-called fixed camera. In practical terms, the resetting of the lens and film carriers signifies changing the distance between the lens and film carriers, the movement of at least one of the carriers in its own plane, and/or the pivoting of at least one of the carriers.
As further known, the image sharpness is influenced by the spatial orientation of three planes, namely the object plane, the image plane and the lens plane. A sharp image is obtained if these three planes are parallel to each other, or otherwise--according to Scheimpflug's law--intersect in common alignment. Many photographers often have trouble introducing or maintaining the latter condition, if as an additional measure, an additional resetting, for example for the purpose of changing the frame or the image standard, is required. In some camera designs, if the pivot axis of the film carrier and/or the lens carrier is not in the image plane or lens plane, respectively, or is outside of the frame provided by the image carrier, this makes it all the more difficult. In some cases, therefore, setting the camera becomes an exercise of pure trial-and-error, which is not only a waste of time but also often results in non-optimal camera settings, in terms of the image.